Improvement in street-sweeping machines



2 Sheets-Sheet 1'.

R. H. SMITH. STREET SWEEPING MACHINES. No. 181,735. Patented Aug.29, 1876.

N- PETEES, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WA SHINGTON. D C,

2 Sheets-Sheet 2. R. H. SMITH. STREET SWEEPING MACHINES. N 181,735 Patented Aug.29, 1876.

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ROBERT H. SMITH, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN STREET-SWEEPING MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 1 81,735 dated August 29, 1876; application filed June 12, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT H. SMITH, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented an Improved Street-Sweeping Machine, of which the following is a specification:

The object of my invention is to construct a simple, cheap, and compact machine for sweeping and collecting the dirt from streets, roads, garden-walks, 8170., an object which I attain in the following manner:

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1, Sheet-l, is a vertical section of my improved sweeping-machine: Fig. 2, Sheet 2, a plan view, and Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6 are detached views, drawn to an enlarged scale, and illustrating different features of my invention.

Y The machine is mounted upon wheels A A, which are loose on an .axle, B, adapted to hearings on the main frame D of the machine, each of the wheels AA carrying a cog-wheel, a, which gears into a pinion, I), hung loosely upon the end of the broom shaft E, motion being imparted to the latter when the machine is drawn through the medium of ratchets d, secured one to each end of the broom-shaft, anda springpawl, 0, carried by each pinion b. When the pinions turn in the opposite direction, however, they fail to impart motion to the shaft E. This shaft E turns in bearings, in the ends of two arms, f, Figs. 2 and 6, which are arranged one at each side of the machine, and are keyed or otherwise secured to the axle B. One-of these arms f is secured to or forms part of a lever, G, which extends upward to a convenient height, and is retained in any position to which it may be adjusted by pins 9 g, adapted to openings 11in a segmental plate, F, springs m m on the lever bearing against these pins.

Gis the receptacle or pan into which the dirt is swept by the broom H, this pan being loosely hung to the axle B and resting .at its front end upon a bar, n, extending transverse 1y across the machine, and adapted at each end to openings in segmental plates 1, secured to the frame D of the machine. The pan G may be tilted and its load discharged by operating an arm, J, secured to one side of the said pan, the accidental tilting of which, however, is prevented by the preponderance of the load in the front portionof the pan. The

lower edge 19 of the said pan is turned up, as seen in Figs. 1 and 3, and to the sides of the pan adjacent to this lower edge is hinged an apron, K, which is held in the inclined position shown by means of ribs 7' secured to the sides of the pan. A space, q, intervenes between the upper edge of the apron K and the turned-up endp of the pan G, as shown in Fig. 4, for a purpose explained hereafter.

Instead of making the broom by cementing tufts of the broom material into openings in a wooden cylinder, as usual, I construct it in the peculiar manner best observed in Figs. 4

and 5. The wooden cylinder]? on the broom-' shaft E is mortised at each end, for the reception of a metal spider, Q, Fig. 5, which is keyed on or otherwise secured to said shaft. Around the cylinder 1? is arranged a number of segmental blocks or slats, S, secured at each end by a bolt, 8, passing into the spider Q. Each of these slats S has a longitudinal groove, t, on its under side, and from this groove a series of openings, at and '12, extend through each slat, for the reception of a wisp of the broom, as shown in Fig. 4, the ends of each wisp projecting beyond the surface of the cylinder, and its central portion being contained within the groove 13.

. The operation of the machine is as follows: On being drawn over the ground, motion in the'direction of the arrow, Fig. 1, is imparted to the broom, through the medium of the cogwheels at, pinions b, and the pawl-and-ratchet connection described, the dirt being carried by the broom up the inclined apron K and discharged into the pan G, and the dirt being prevented from banking at the top of the apron K, owing to the space q between the upper edge of the same and the edge 19 of the pan G, the loose dirt falling through this space and being again swept up by the broom.

as the broom becomes worn it can be lowered by altering the position of the lever O, or the broom may be raised clear of the ground by operating the same lever. When the broom is depressed, it becomes necessary to lower the rear end of the pan G also, in order that the apron K may be in the proper position in relation to the broom, and this is effected by raising the bar a, so as to elevate the front end I of the pan.

well as the broom, on the axle B, the construe tion of the machine is simplified, its cost lessened, and the entire weightbrought directly upon the wheels, the proper degree of traction being thereby insured.

1 claim as my invention-- 1. A street-sweeping machine in which the broom-shaft E has its bearings in, and is combined with, armsff keyed to the axleof the machine, as set forth.

2. The combination of the axle B and the armsff, carrying the broom shaft, with the lever O and its spring-arms m, the segmental plate F, its openings '5, and pins 9.

3. A street-sweeping machine in which the dirt receptacle or pan G is hung loosely to the axle B, and supported at its front end, all'substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of the pan G, loosely hung to the axle, with the perforated segmental plates I and the bar a. v

5. The combination of the pan G,1oosely hung to the axle, with the arm J.

6. The combination of the pan G and its rib 1' with the hinged apron K.

7. The combination of the lower edge I) of the pan G with the apron K, arranged to leave a space, q, intervening between the upper edge of the apron and the edge 12 of the pan, as and for the purpose set forth.

8. The combination of the cylinder P with the blocks S, each having a groove, 27, and

. openings at and v, as set forth. v

9. The combination of the cylinder P with blocks S, secured to and fitted closely together on the said cylinder, and with bunches of broom material passed through the blocks and retained in place by the cylinder, as set forth.

10. The combination of the shaft E and'cylinder P with the spiders Q, keyed to the shaft, 

